[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 181 (Friday, September 18, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56422-56423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23380]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 15, 73, and 74

[MB Docket No. 15-146; GN Docket No. 12-268; DA 15-918]


Preserving Vacant Channels in the UHF Television Band for 
Unlicensed Use

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Media Bureau of the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission) provides notice of the revised 
comment and reply comment deadlines in this proceeding. The comment 
period in this proceeding has previously been suspended pending action 
in the Commission's incentive auction proceeding and the Media Bureau 
announces that it has been restarted and the new deadlines for filing 
comments and reply comments.

DATES: Comments Due: September 30, 2015. Reply Comments Due: October 
30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 15-146 
and GN Docket No. 12-268, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in 
receiving U.S. Postal Service mail.) All filings must be addressed to 
the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal 
Communications Commission.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaun Maher, [email protected] of 
the Media Bureau, Video Division, (202) 418-2324, and Paul Murray, 
[email protected] of the Office of Engineering and Technology, (202) 
418-0688.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Media Bureau's 
Order, DA 15-918, adopted August 12, 2015, in MB Docket No. 15-146 
(Order). The full text of the Order is available for inspection and 
copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 445 
12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, Portals II, Washington, DC 20554. This 
document is available in alternative formats (computer diskette, large 
print, audio record, and Braille). Persons with disabilities who need 
documents in these formats may contact the FCC by email: [email protected] 
or phone: 202-418-0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.

Synopsis

    1. On June 16, 2015, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 6711 (2015) in MB Docket No. 15-146 (Vacant 
Channel NPRM) seeking comment on rules to preserve vacant television 
channels for shared use by white space devices and wireless 
microphones. On July 29, 2015, the Media Bureau, in an Order, DA 15-
867, on delegated authority, suspended the comment and reply comment

[[Page 56423]]

deadlines in this proceeding until further notice.
    2. In its document, FCC 15-78, released August 11, 2015 (Auctions 
Procedures PN), the Commission adopted its proposal to allow the 
optimization tool to assign television stations within the 600 MHz Band 
where necessary to accommodate market variation in a manner that best 
fulfills the clearing target objectives, and not to restrict it to 
assignments in specific portions of the 600 MHz Band, including the 
duplex gap. To mitigate the potential impact on white space devices and 
wireless microphones in areas where the duplex gap is subject to 
impairment, the Commission tentatively concluded that it will designate 
a second available television channel in the remaining television band 
in such areas for shared use by white space devices and wireless 
microphones, in addition to the one such channel it has tentatively 
concluded will be made available in each area of the United States for 
shared use by these devices and microphones. The Commission invited 
comment on this tentative conclusion and stated that it intends to 
address in the same order all proposals in the Vacant Channel NPRM as 
well as the proposals raised in the Auctions Procedures PN. To that 
end, the Commission directed the Media Bureau to establish new comment 
and reply deadlines of September 30 and October 30, 2015, respectively, 
for the proposals in the Vacant Channel NPRM as well as the proposal in 
paragraph 32 of the Auctions Procedures PN.
    3. By this Order, as directed by the Commission in the Auctions 
Procedures PN, the Media Bureau announces that comments are now due on 
September 30, 2015 and reply comments on October 30, 2015.

Kevin Harding,
Associate Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2015-23380 Filed 9-17-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P